Brassiere



V June 26, 1945. M 2,378,906

BRASSIEBE Filed Feb. 16, 1942 referred to as brassieres, that is to.

Patented June 26, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I r faswaene eRAssIERE Nettie mum, Oceanside, N. Y.

. Application'February 16, 1942, Serial No. 431,110

4 Claims.

This inventionrelates to what are commonly say, gar mentsemploying two breast receiving and sup-. porting pockets coupled together and to which are coupled straps for supporting the sameupon the body of the wearer. More particularly; my present invention deals with brassires employing breast pockets each comprising a cup portion in which the breast seats, the upper edge of the cup portion having a relatively small sec-.- tion or segment engaging the central nipple portion of the breast in such manner as to leave the majorportion of the upper half of the breast exposed. Still more particularly, my invention relates to a brassire of the general type and kind disclosed in my Patent #2367365 employing shoulder straps'directly attached to outer or side extremities of each pocket of the gar:

ment, thereby extending the straps to a point nearer the arms ofthe wearer than the neck thereof to adapt the garmentfor use in low cut dresses or othertypes of evening dresses. The novel features of the. invention will .be best understood from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and in which the separate parts are designatedby suitable referencecharacters in each ofv the. views, and in which:

i Fig. l is a diagrammatic front View of a bras sire showing the general arrangement of the parts. i

other adaptation of theyinvention.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing a further modification, and

Fig. 4 is a section substantially on the :line 3 customary to completelyenvelop the breast in a pocket or to provideacovering enveloping substantially the entire breast. This type of con-.

struction has the effect of a tight lacing and same to any stresses or strain which might become injurious. Brassires of this "type and kind play an important part in maintaining the 1 breasts of a young girl or woman. in their natural, youthful state, and further a young mother will find it extremely practical and desirable to use brassieres of this type and kind not only during a nursing period, but thereafter in order to.

maintain the breast, in proper position thus avoiding 1 and eliminating the drop of breasts which is so common with young mothers after the nursing. period. It is also pointed outthat matured women including women who have.

reared children can also beneficially usea brassire made according to my invention in restoring and maintaining the breasts to youthful a form. Further; my present brassire is adapted it for use inv conjunction with dressesor garments having low cut necks or lowbacks, means being shoulder straps of the garment. i

In Fig.1 of the drawing, I have shown a brassiere which is adaptedfor use in connectionwith Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig 1 showing an t dresses or gowns having low cut, squarefor rounded necks rather than what might be termed V-necks. In this construction It! and II repre-- sent two. breast supporting pockets of substan-.

tially similar construction andmade of any suit:

able material or combination of materials to provide flexibility into a contour conforming with the lower portion of the breasts and also with a degree of. resiliency. In some instances, these.

pockets are composed of rubber preferably faced on the inner surfaces with a fabric or may comprise other materials including materials having reinforcements as is taught in the; patent previously referred to.

Each pockethas at its upper edge I 2 asegment 13 which, is cupped or concaved at the central portion I4 thereof to conform with the nipple and adjacent area l5 of the breast l6, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The segment I3 may be constructed of any suitable soft and flexible material and insofar as the structure of the pocket including the segment i is concerned, it may also be made in accordance does not leave the breast in afree and yet fully supported position. These conventional types of brassires in additionto being uncomfortable and unnatural, also are apt to be injurious to With my improved brassiere, howe with the teachings in two companion applicae composed of elastic material to provide a yield able coupling between the pockets. 1 Attachedto to the strap 22, or adjustable thereon. In thev construction shown, the ends 3| are looped around the straps 22 to provide adjustment.

With a brassire of the kind illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing, the breast pockets Hi and l l are supported upon the shoulders of the wearer solely by the traps 21, 28. These straps are attached to the extreme outer or side edges of the pockets and extend over the shoulders adjacent the arms instead of mid-way between the arm and neck, as would be the case with straps suspended from the central top portion of the pockets. This construction will substantially fully expose the chest of the wearer thus adapting the brassiere for use with dresses having the large square neck openings and further with dresses having low cut neck openings as in evening gowns.

In- Fig. 2 of the drawing is shown a slight modification of the structure shown in Fig. l which adapts the brassire to dresses or gowns having wide'neck openings, .but not of such extremely low cuts. In this construction, the breast'pockets are illustrated at 32, 33 and have segments 34 similar to the segments l3. Adjacent edges of the pockets are joined by a strap 35 which may be entirely elastic or including elastic portions 36 as may be desired. At 31 is showna body encircling strap similar to the strap 22 andadjustably coupled at the back, as seen at 38. At 39 and 40 are shown shoulder straps substantially similar to the straps'Zl and 28 and having buckle 4| for adjustments thereof. The structure of Fig. 2 differs from Fig. l primarily in the location of the strap 35 and in substituting for the straps l8 and [9 two longer straps 42 and 43. Th strap 42 is coupledwith the upper end 44 of the pocket 32 whereas the strap 4.3 is coupled to the upper end 45 of the 'pocket 33. The straps are crossed intermediatethe pockets, and the ends thereof are provided with hooksor other couplings 45 adapted to engageone of a number of eyes 4'! arranged longitudinally of the straps 39 and 49, so as to properly positionand adjust the strap 42 and 43 over the top of the breast or upon the body just above the breast thus exposing the greatest possible amount of the chest of the wearer, as will be apparent. Thi type of garment not only is adapted for use in the higher cut, square or wide neck garments, but also to the V-neck or rounded neck garments. I

It will be apparent that the straps 42 and 43 also aid in supporting the inner adjacent ends 44, 45 of the pockets closer upon the body of the wearer and also provide a slight upward lift of the. pockets which will aid in maintaining the breast in the desirable raised position. The combination of adjustments of the straps 42, 43 on fication of both of the structures shown in Figs.

1 and 2 which will adapt the garment for use on evening dresses commonly suspended from the neck of the wearer and having low cut backs.

'With this construction, the breast pockets are represented at 4B and 49, the pocket segments at 50, and at is shown a supporting'strap which takes the place of the shoulder straps but will be more properly defined as a neck strap in that the central looped portion 52 thereof is adapted to be arranged around the back of the neck with the side portions of the strap extending downwardly to the outer upper corners 53 of the pockets 48 and 49. The strap M will preferably have two buckles 54 to adjust both side portions of the strap and will also preferably include two elastic portions 55. The side portions of the strap 5| are also preferably provided with a series of spaced eyes or openings 56 to receive hooks or other fastenings 51 on the ends of straps 58 and 59, similar to the straps 42 and 43.

.With the construction shown in Fig. 3, the central coupling straps, such as l8, I9 '01" 35 may be employed, but this can also be dispensed with and for this reason are not shown in Fig. 3. However, it is preferred that garment engaging coupling devicesfill be attached to. the lower central edge portions of the pockets 48 and 49 through flexible or elastic straps 6i so that the brassire may be secured to any other garment worn by the wearer; such for example as a girdle or similar arment, and if a girdle is not worn, the device may be attached to the dress. With this construction, the body encircling strap can be dispensed with and the entire garmentwill thus be suspended from the neck of the wearer, the'coupling as at 60 i being employed simply to maintain the lower edge portions of the brassiere in a position which would otherwise be maintained by the body encircling straps. v

In all of the construction shown, the main support of the garment is taken up by the shoulder or neck straps and these are coupled with outer extremities of the breast-pockets. When straps such as the straps 42, 43, 58, and 59 are employed, these are substituted for the central coupling straps at the upper adjacent ends of the pockets and extend the support of one pocket to the shoulder strap of the opposed pocket. I

In addition to using various types and kinds of reinforced fabrics, resilient semi-rigid sheetings, such as the pockets of the brassire may be constructed of plastic or metallic materials. In all instances, the various materials employed in constructing the pockets may be fixed on either or both surfaces by suitable fabrics for finishing or ornamental purposes, the'illustrations in the accompanying drawing being entirely diagrammatio.

I-Iaving fully described my'invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1'. A brassiere comprising ,two' substantially similar breast receiving and supporting members,

each of said members comprising a half pocket band disposed on the lower portion and sides only of the breast, asegment of concave contour at the upper edge of the band intermediate the ends thereof,said segment overlying the nipple and adjacent area of the breast, leaving the major part of the upper portion of the breast exposed, meanssupporting said members in spaced relation to each other, back and shoulder straps at-, tached to outer side extremities only of said members for supporting the members upon the body of, the wearer, and said shoulder straps being adapted to extend from the upper portion of said side extremities perpendicularly and directly to the shoulders of the wearer; i

jor part of the upper portion of the breast exposed, means supporting, said members in spaced relation to each other, backand shoulder straps attached to outer side extremities only of said members for supporting the members upon the body of the wearer, said shoulder straps being adapted to extend from-the upper portionof said side extremities perpendicularly-and directly to I the shoulders of thewearer, and said first named means comprising straps of greater length than said members and coupling the innerend of one member with the shoulder strap, of the opposed member.

3. A brassire comprising two substantially sim-, ilar breast receiving and supporting vmembers,

each of said members comprising a half pocket a band disposed on the lower portion and sides s only of the breast, a segment of concave contour at the upper edge of the band intermediate the ends thereof, said segment overlying the nipple and adjacent area of the breast, leaving theme,

jor part of the upper portion ofthe breast exposed, means supporting said members in spaced relation to each other, back and shoulder straps attached to outer side extremities only of said adapted to extend from the upper portion of members for supporting the members upon the body of the wearer, said shoulder strapsbeing said side extremities perpendicularly and directly to the shoulders of the wearer, and said first named means comprising a strap of greater length than said members and attached to the inner edge of each of said members and adjustably coupled with the shoulder strap of the opposed members. i

strap of each member being ofgreater length than each member and extending to and being i 4. In a brassire comprising two substantially similar independent and relatively movable breast receiving and supporting members, a body encircling strap supporting said members upon the body of the wearer, shoulder straps coupled with outer and upper side extremities only of each member and with said body encircling strap, said shoulder straps extending perpendicularly from and maintained in substantial vertical alinement with said side extremities, each member having a strap coupled with the inner adjacent edge portions of said members, and the last named adiustably coupled with the shoulder strapof the opposed member.

NET'IIE BLUM. 

